


Fireworks

by spacedaydreamer



Category: Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: Multi, Wow, anyways i am eternally in love with cteam and wanted to end the year on a good note, back at it again with the new year's fluff, i can't believe i've had this account for a little over a year now, they deserve the fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 20:06:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13220244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacedaydreamer/pseuds/spacedaydreamer
Summary: It's new year's eve, and the former members of C-team made it out for a fireworks show. New years eve really is the perfect time for bonding for them, or so it would seem..





	Fireworks

“Jumpy, hurry up! We’ll be late!”

“I know, I know! I just gotta- ah, there it is!” Throwing on his new scarf (a gift from Carlos and Akane), Junpei scrambled to get to the front door of their apartment to put his boots on. “Alright, done. I wasn’t _that_ behind, Akane.”

“Yes, but you always wait until the last second-“

“No time, we’ll be late!”

“ _Jumpy!_ ”

Hopping out the door with a grin on his face, Junpei ducked just in time for a snowball to go soaring over his head, instead landing squarely against Carlos’s back.

“Are you two at it again?” He laughed as he turned, eyes going quickly between the still-retreating Junpei, and Akane (who was packing another snowball). “We can do that once we’re there, alright?”

After a pause, Akane nodded and dropped the snow, but one look at her face told Junpei this wasn’t over. She’d get her revenge sooner or later… but first, they had to get to the fireworks display.

The drive was short, mostly Junpei listening to Carlos and Akane talk about what they hoped to see in the display. It wasn’t that Junpei wasn’t excited too- no, he was _quite_ excited. It was just that he liked listening to the sounds of their voices, so he’d rather let them talk instead.

It was just after eleven by the time they reached the viewing area for the fireworks display, a decent amount of people already present and listening to the band (some local group, Junpei couldn’t remember their name). The sky was clear and pitch black, moon bright and surrounded by stars.

“Now, can someone remind me why we had to do this outside?” He was already shivering a little bit, jacket plenty thick but still hardly enough to counteract the December chill. “Weren’t there cafes that had viewing spots?”

“Yes, but isn’t it so much better to see them without anything in the way? Back me up on this, Carlos.”

“Yeah, I’m with her.” Laughing a little at Junpei’s resigned groan, Carlos left for just a moment before returning with a thermos and a little stack of paper cups. “Don’t worry Jump, I was prepared for this. I’ve got a few more thermoses as well, and worst comes to worst we can run and grab something. Plus, once we’re home we can snuggle up good and warm. That sound fair?”

“…Well I _guess_ …” He still had a pout on his face, but it was a forced one- he should’ve known that they’d be prepared enough. He’d been preparing too, in his own way. “Well then. Whatever it is you’ve got in there, pour me some before I become a human popsicle. I thought getting locked in a freezer would be the last time I ever felt this cold.”

Carlos quickly obliged, pouring cups for all three of them before running the thermos back to the car. It was delightfully hot, and once Junpei got past the feeling of his tongue burning he was able to discern that it was hot chocolate.

All three of them finished their drinks fairly quick, huddling together to share warmth. The band had gotten a little louder, and their songs were getting somehow more energetic- as one finished, the lead singer called out that there was only a half-hour to midnight, earning cheers from the crowd gathered around.

“Say, um… Carlos? Look, a-ah… Akane and I have… well, something we wanted to give you.”

“Huh?”

“We figured it’d be better to do it on new year’s eve, considering… well, that’s when it happened the first time. It just felt right.”

“Junpei, what’re you…?”

Before he could say anything more, Junpei and Akane had both gone down on one knee (as they’d practiced), Junpei holding out the ring box and Akane opening it.

“Will you marry us, Carlos?”

Junpei was red in the face, and couldn’t respond in time before Carlos had jumped forwards to wrap the both of them in a bear hug, lifting both him and Akane off their feet.

“Of _course_. I love you guys so much- thank you.”

Akane was the one to slip the ring on Carlos’s finger, the three of them trying their best to ignore the gasps and applause from the crowd that had most certainly noticed the proposal. Junpei failed in the endeavor, obviously- but tried to hide it by hugging Carlos again, hoping the red on his face would maybe be hidden by the other’s coat.

“Oh, but Jump- shouldn’t we get you a ring too?”

“M-Me?”

“Well, I mean, me and Akane both have one now. Shouldn’t we all match?”

“W-Well, um… w-we’ll all match once we’ve… got wedding bands, so it’s okay…”

“Nonsense!” Akane wrapped herself around one of Junpei’s arms, squishing him up against Carlos a little more. “Carlos is right- we need to find you one now! After all, you’re the one who picked out both of ours, Jumpy.”

He wasn’t going to argue them if that’s what they really wanted, so instead Junpei just nodded a little, still red in the face. The thought of them _all_ having engagement rings felt a little silly, almost- but he liked it. He really did.

“Oh, Jumpy! Look up!”

He removed his face from Carlos’s side just in time to see the first firework go off above them, like a glowing red flower blooming for just a moment. Fireworks were always nostalgic to him- they reminded him of times with Akane when they were little, summer festivals from years and years ago. They’d planned to take Carlos to Japan with them during the summer, as he still had yet to go; all of them already making lists of things they wanted to see and do when there. Perhaps Junpei would add a festival to his list… he knew Akane would love that. Plus, they could all wear Yukata- but now wasn’t the time to think of those. Just the _thought_ of a yukata was enough to make him shiver, thinking of the thin material.

The fireworks display was incredible, all timed out to music and using all different types and colours. He couldn’t keep himself from gasping every so often at a particularly well-done part of the display, watching the colours flash and fade with Akane and Carlos on each side of him.

Time kept going, and the new year was drawing closer- the lead singer spoke up again as the fireworks started to die down a little, leading all of them in the countdown, the three of them joining in as well.

_Ten_

_Nine_

_Eight_

_Seven_

_Six_

_Five_

_Four_

_Three_

_Two_

_One-_

_“Happy new year!”_

The fireworks started up again as the countdown finished, a magnificent finale playing out before them as they shared their first kisses of the new year together. All of them were shivering by the time they made it back home (not helped by a short snowball fight, initiated by Akane’s snowball reign of revenge); and it took them no time at all to collapse into their bed in the usual formation, bundled up under the blankets together to keep warm.

**Author's Note:**

> I love cteam so much, guys.
> 
> Haha, but! Beyond that, I wanted to thank everyone for a great year. I know I really slowed down in updating in the latter half of the year- I ran into some personal troubles that really just started to build up after a while, but it's a new year new start, right? That's what I'm hoping for, at least! I've got things planned (including the next update to the vlr fics- i haven't forgotten it, i promise!) and I really hope that you guys look forwards to them. I really, really love writing for zero escape, and knowing that others enjoy the things I write makes them all entirely worthwhile.
> 
> So, thank you so much! Here's to a better 2018- and hopefully, we'll be in a timeline without any nonary games. ;D


End file.
